Small but mighty

By Deborah Bruce

Small congregations with fewer than 100 people in worship face many challenges.  They often have limited financial resources, which makes it difficult to pay the mortgage, electric, and other bills; maintain the facilities; pay the salary and benefits for a pastor or other staff; and still have funds available for ministry and mission.  With few people, the tasks of being a community of faith rest on fewer shoulders.  And some small congregations have a poor self-image when they compare themselves to large churches with more resources. 

Despite these issues, we found that small churches have many strengths.

More worshipers involved in congregational activities.  In small churches more worshipers participate in more ways in congregational life, including in small groups, outreach activities, community service, leadership positions, decision making, and financial support.  Because there are fewer people, everyone gets involved.  In larger churches, it’s easier to sit back and let others take on tasks.

 
Stronger sense of belonging.  In small congregations worshipers have a stronger sense of belonging.  More say that all or most of their friends also are part of the congregation and more place specific value in the practical care they receive from others there.  It’s much easier to get to know one another in smaller churches and to feel you’re really connected.  It’s like the Cheers Bar, where everyone knows your name!

 
More empowering leadership.  In small congregations, more worshipers feel their gifts and skills are being used there and believe leaders are responsive to the views of worshipers.  In part that’s because some small churches have no paid staff—they rely on lay leaders for carrying on the work of the church.

 
In other areas, no difference.  That’s not to say everything is better in small churches.  Congregations of all sizes provide meaningful worship, warmly welcome new people, and chart an exciting vision for the church’s future.  In these areas, church size really doesn’t matter.  Any church—big or small—can do a good job!

 Learn more about the strengths of congregations. 

Comments

[Marge Royle]

Ecological psychology, developed by Roger Barker in the 70's, demonstrated the impact of the ecological surroundings or behavior setting on behavior. Barker wrote a famous book (at the time, anyway) Big School, Small School, that illustrated the theory by comparing schools of two sizes. In general, people were more involved in smaller-sized organizations, and more marginal people were better included. That is, in a small school, a person with only moderate talent would be able to play on the football team or act in the class play, while in a large school only the best could participate. This makes for more satisfaction, as well as more involvement.

Barker's work was expanded by Allan Wicker, my advisor in graduate school and extended to other settings, including churches. Your results are a perfect illustration of what Barker's theory predicted. He would have been pleased.